Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has cautioned members of the 7th Legislative arm of Government against indiscriminate removal of principal officers of the government.
He particularly expressed worries over the way and manner speakers of State Houses of Assembly and deputy governors are being impeached across the country, saying it is an indication of an immature democracy.
Ganduje gave the caution during a dinner organised in honour of Speakers of State Houses of Assembly from the 19 Northern states, held at Africa House Wing of the Kano Government House.
According to him, the frequent occurrence of impeachments is a setback to the nation’s democracy, which needs to be prevented under the present dispensation.
“The frequency at which speakers and deputy governors are removed like underwear is not the best. Somebody was impeached from his office, as deputy governor, because he managed poultry within his offi- cial residence,” the governor said.
The governor advised state legislators, especially speakers of their state Houses of Assembly, to synergise with the executive arms of government to bring about progress and development in the country.
In the same vein, he charged the Northern Speakers Conference to step up efforts to tackle the common problems facing the region particularly the issue of ‘Almajiri’, educational backwardness, compulsory primary education, economic backwardness, unemployment and conflicts.
He also stressed the need for all Northerners to strengthen their unity so as to fully address issues affecting the region and map out ways of contributing more positively to national development.
In his speech, Abdulkareem Lawal, chairman, Northern Speakers Conference and speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, said the forum would deliberate on several issues of socio-economic development affecting the region.
He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to give special attention to the North East geo-political zone because of its peculiar challenges, mainly insecurity.
The speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Kabiru Alasan Rurum, stressed the need for governments and legislatures in the North to design policies, taking into cognizance their implications to the overall regional and sub-regional development.
ADEOLA AJAKAIYE, Kano
